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November 23, 2006
Reflections and Deep Appreciation
Mass culture tells me that most Americans begin their Thanksgiving dinners with a round robin of giving thanks. My family has never done that. We also don't say grace (which sounds vaguely goyish to my mind) or bracha's before or after the meal. I asked the fam why this was and my mom explained that we're ravenous savages (which is true - we started eating before all of the dishes were on the table). So, here in no particular order are some reflections on what I most appreciate this Thanksgiving -
1. My family, especially my 'rents. Without them, I would not have been able to quit my job in Chicago and return home to Los Angeles to bask in the glow of my sister's pregnancy. Having spent so much of my adult life away from my family, I truly appreciate this time with them. I only wish we could have shared the day with my brother and my nephews.
2. My extended family. From my sister's fiancee to my sister-in-law-despite-divorce to my cousins to my aunts, uncles and almost 92-year-old grandma, I am truly blessed.
3. Health.
4. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and my large network of WILPF sisters.
5. Friends - especially my Wellesley sisters. Seeing most of them together in Atlanta this year was truly a highlight of my post-grad experience. I am truly blessed to have friends all over the country and world.
6. The glimmer of hope in the world - the force of people working globally to take back the levers of power from the forces that drive us towards war & poverty. Viva Radical Democracy!
7. Netflix.
8. Rhapsody.
9. Books - the ones I'm still reading (Challenging Empire, Taking History to Heart, On Beauty, Zen and the Art of Making a Living) and the ones I've finished (Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, The Kite Runner) and the ones I haven't started (too many to list).
10. Newspapers (the LAT, WSJ, NYT)
11. My anonymous blog host and this outlet for my ravenous writing desires (which have been publicly muted in the past year due to my increasing responsibilities with WILPF).
The word of the day is truly.
Posted by cj at November 23, 2006 08:43 PM